| Hello everyone it is Derrick Cannon, here to thrill you, excite you, enlighten you, but most of all to entertain you. It is now time for yet another edition of Cannon's Corner.
This column will be taking a different tone due to current events involving a certain match at Wrestlemania. A man who was well loved by millions, a man who is well known in just about every walk of life, a man who really was an icon of pro wrestling has left the building. Ric Flair has officially retired.
His career is without question one of the absolute greatest of all time. His matches were uncanny and many were incredible. I was a huge fan of his during his feud with Eric Bischoff in the late WCW, but something lesser known is that he was one of the biggest parts of my becoming a wrestling fan in the first place.
The year was 1993, the Bulls won their first three peat, Bill Clinton was in office, and Star Wars Episode one rumors were only at their half way point. I was in first grade when I saw this event, but only now a decade after did I once again get a boost of nostalgia after watching it. The event of course was Starcade 93. While it may not have been the best show all around it had my favorite match of all time.
If you haven’t guessed by now , the match was Ric Flair versus Big Van Vader.
This was Ric Flair’s first retirement (if I’m wrong feel free to correct me) match. This was also for the WCW world heavyweight title, back when the title was one of the most prestigious in all of wrestling.
On a side note this would be the first time Ric Flair’s whole family would be shown on nationwide television making Ric Flair seem so much more human the the monstrous Vader.
Just like his match against Shawn Michaels very few people saw Ric Flair winning this match.
Vader in fact would have the upper hand in the match for a great majority of the beginning .
Ric Flair fortunately was able to turn the tide of the match somewhere from the midway point.
The longer the match progressed, the more even matched it became.
The match would be one of the best in both men’s careers with Ric Flair somehow getting the victory in remarkable fashion. Ric Flair would win a heavyweight championship for the 12th time this night.
His career was saved.
Unfortunately this past Sunday , this scene did not replay. He lost the match after the fight for his life.
Ric Flair’s career was very remarkable and we should rejoice that as long as there is wrestling there will always be a place for the Nature Boy.
|